Disclaimer: Not mine at all… not even the used oil from the impala is mine…

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Chapter 14

The silence in the room was deafening and they were unaware of how long time stood still before Dean moaned as he shifted in Sammy's lap, trying to escape the little electrical surges of pain still shooting through out his body.

"Dean?" Sammy asked waiting for a response from his big brother, any sign that he'd heard him. Sammy waited a few seconds before he tried again, "D, wake up for me… jerk."

Dean's eyelids fluttered as he tried to move into the waking world, eyes finally opening slightly. "Hurt, Sammy." he mumbled, eyes closing after he saw a blurry outline of Sam.

"No, you don't." Sammy muttered, rubbing his knuckles on Dean's sternum as he placed his other hand on Dean's cheek, "I know you're hurt but I have missed my big brother… please talk to me, D." The begging tone clear in his voice as he watched Dean's face closely for any sign of him recognizing that Sammy was talking to him.

Dean's eyes popped open as it dawned on him it was his Sammy, "Sammy?" Dean's breath catching and holding while he waited for a return answer, his muscles still spasming occasionally from the surges of pain.

"Yes, D… it's me. All of me… Michael even took away the demon blood." Sammy replied as he pulled Dean up into a hug, squashing Dean to him while Dean tried to start his breathing up again. "I've missed you, bro."

Dean blinked a couple of times trying to comprehend all of Sammy together and free of demon blood and Sammy's here before crying out as his arms encircled Sammy, "Sammy!"

After a couple of seconds Dean managed a muffled, "How?" All he remembered was Michael telling him that fixing Sam while he wore the ring was going to be…

"Later." Sammy told him, interrupting Dean's thoughts as he hugged him tighter. He was with his big brother; it had been so long.

"You said… talk to you." Dean struggled to say into Sammy's shoulder causing Sammy to laugh, a laugh that reminded Dean of Sam's pre-college days which caused tears to spring up in Dean's eyes.

Bobby pulled Meg into a hug, hiding his own tears as he told her, "If you aren't the real deal I will kill you myself…" Bobby felt Meg stiffen in his arms as he continued, "But for this… I will give you the chance to prove yourself."

After he let her go she stared at him before saying, "Thank you…" an eyebrow raised in question as she continued, "I think."

"Why don't we get Dean off the floor and make sure he's okay, then how about some of the 'good stuff' to celebrate? It seems like we might have a lot to celebrate today." Bobby said as he helped the boys get off the floor.

Dean felt like his mind was slow to catch up with current events, his movements sluggish. He hoped it was only a side affect that would go away soon as he struggled to stand.

After Sammy had Dean seated in a chair, he pulled up a chair close to him and sat staring at Dean, a dimpled grin on his face, just content to stare at his big brother.

"Sammy… I know I'm a hand…" He jerked from another spasm and bit his lip to keep from groaning out loud.

Sammy rubbed Dean's arm as he asked Bobby, "How long is this shit going to continue?"

Angry that Dean was once again suffering because of him.

"I don't know… it's seems to be less often as time passes." Bobby commented watching the boys closely.

Sammy snapped angrily, sounding so much like Dean; it caused Bobby to smile, "That's not good enough, I want it fixed now." Sammy ran a hand through his hair.

Dean continued as if never interrupted, "handsome, but quit staring. It's creepy, bitch." he smiled at Sammy, trying to act that he wasn't feeling any pain.

Sammy snorted as he commented back, "Jerk."

As Sam's gaze met Megs' he remembered her ring, taking off the ring he held it out to her, "Thanks, Meg. We wouldn't be where we are now, without you going after me in the first place."

She shrugged as she reddened saying softly while she took her ring, placing it back on her hand, "It's just a small part of what I owe you two."

Sammy watched Meg for several minutes trying to decide whether or not she was being honest. He hadn't been the best judge of sincerity in the past. Maybe it would be best to let Dean decide when it would be safe to trust her. With that decided he glanced at Dean; Sam noticed the huge smile on Dean's face as he stared at him, "Dude, you're right… it is creepy."

Dean slugged him on the arm still grinning like mad.

"Jerk." Sammy commented as he rubbed his arm.

"Bitch… I'm always right." Dean smirked before it slid away with a new shiver of pain.

Sammy grabbed Dean in another hug as he whispered for Dean only, "Thanks D… I'm glad I have you back. Thanks for never giving up."

Dean's arms quickly enveloped Sammy again as Dean struggled not to cry in earnest when he whispered back to his little brother, "I was lost without you here. Thanks for coming home." There was a mutual tightening of their holds, then matching pats as they sat back and looked at each other.

The room fell silent once again as they all struggled to grasp the reality of what had occurred when Cas suddenly appeared looking like a little kid caught with his hand caught in a candy jar.

Bobby asked him as he gave him a funny look, "What's wrong with you?"

"I'm demoted and grounded." Cas said softly, hanging his head and shuffling his feet.

They were currently all sitting around the table while Bobby poured them shots of the 'good stuff' as he called it. Dean and Sammy sitting close enough together their knees and shoulders touched. Meg had been leaning against the counter facing them and had been about to sit down when Cas popped in.

Dean asked curious, "What does that mean?"

"It means Michael told father on me and he grounded me. I am to tell you and come straight back cause… I'm demoted." Cas said sadly, still looking at the floor.

Dean laughed as he asked, "How does the sheriff of Heaven get grounded? You're joking, right?" He waited a few seconds before saying again, "right?"

"He grounded me after he demoted me because I behaved… badly. I was consorting with the enemy." Cas said with a guilty lightening quick glance at Meg and then back to Dean.

"Oh…" Dean said with a half grin, "Really? What are you now?"

"Look… haven't you been listening?" Cas sounded frustrated as he told Dean again, "Demoted… I am demoted."

Dean chuckled at the expression on Cas' face.

"And grounded." Cas added in a mutter, glaring at Dean, daring him to laugh again.

"Why are you grounded? Because of me? Am I the enemy you're talking about?" Meg asked, trying to get a look into Cas' eyes for confirmation.

Meg stood so quickly her chair fell, but it went unnoticed as she raced over to him, "Let me talk to him, I will take the blame for you." She stepped towards Cas.

"You won't be thrown down…" Her breath caught as she thought of her angel being thrown to hell. Walking up to Cas she continued, "He won't cast you down to hell? Will he? What about Michael… wasn't he doing the same thing? You know… consorting?" She was afraid of the answer to the first two questions but she needed to know anyway.

Cas looked sharply at her; she was genuinely worriedly that he would be cast down. "Well, yes Michael was consorting too, but he wasn't kissing you… was he?" Cas asked staring at her as he waited for her answer.

She got a disgusted look on her face, "God, no!" She frowned up at him, "Only you Cas…" She finished with a blush.

Cas smiled at her before saying, "Well, that is the difference. I was. Feelings for a demon are…" He stopped, thinking about what he was going to say before adding, "It is complicated… I have some explaining to do… to father and to Michael. I just have to be in heaven to work out some things."

Cas looked around the room as he finished what he had to say, "Then there are also the battles. They have ended but there's a lot to clean up to do and things to sort out."

He stepped close to Meg as he whispered, "And you have wings to earn, Clarence, father is watching." and he stepped back, looking around the room once again.

She smirked at Cas as she told him softly as she took a step toward Cas, "Yeah, no pressure there."

Cas leaned slightly down; kissing her gently on the forehead as he pulled Meg into a quick hug, then stepped away.

He smiled and turned to Dean and Sammy as he said, "Here's your chance to just be the Winchester boys, let's see what you do with it."

Cas looking at them before saying bluntly, "I don't know how long I will be gone." Then he nodded to Bobby and disappeared.

"Huh." Bobby said, sitting down as he looked around the room. He had the boys and a redeemed demon in the room that a demoted grounded angel had just vacated who had just informed them they had a chance at normal. He laughed. An honest to god snorting that turned into a full fledged laugh that had tears rolling down his cheeks and all three other occupants of the room staring at him worriedly. Normal, like they had any idea what that was. He slapped the table as he continued to roar with laughter eventually causing the others to chuckle cautiously at first before joining in, not really knowing why they were laughing just that Bobby's laugh was suddenly contagious.

THE END

Final Note: Thank you so much to all that have followed this story as it has progressed! At the time that I wrote this I was unsure if it would even be something anyone would read. I chose to end it here because I can go several places with new stories if people want me to. But if not it felt like a good place to conclude it. I'm thinking about doing a series of how Meg's transformation progresses… Let me know your thoughts please. Thanks again, everyone!